Front fender construction



y 9, 1940- E. E. ANDERSON 2,207,366

FRONT FENDER CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 23, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Bnnentor J y 9, 1940. E. E. ANDERSON FRONT FENDER CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 23, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zmnentor Eamzzzzzf. finale 5 5022 July 9, 1940. E. E. ANDERSON FRONT FENDER CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 23, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 July 9, 1940. E. E. ANDERSON FRONT FENDER CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 23, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 9, 1940 A'IENT OFFICE;

FRONT FENDER CONSTRUCTION Edmund E. Anderson, Pleasant Ridge, Mich., as-

signor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application September 23, 1939, Serial No. 296,191

8 Claims. (01. 18069) This invention relates tothe front end metal construction of automotive vehicles.

The improvement relates to novelties in the details of construction and the manner of making and assembling the front fenders and the intermediary grille work, and in the arrangement of these parts. 1

The fender itself has the novelty of being formed in three parts: (1) the main fender part, comprising the top of the fender and the permanent side of the hood; (2) a filler piece extending between the tip of the fender and the hood; and (3) a front tip piece complemental to and completing the front of the main part of the fender, The main part of the fender and the filler piece have complementary half lamp housings formed therein which when in assembled relation form the complete housing for the headlamps.

' On the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front end of an automotive vehicle showing the invention applied.

Figure 2 is a front elevational. view of the fenderremoved from the vehicle and showing some adjacent parts in dotted outline,

' Figure 3 is a plan view of the fender of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the fender of Figure 2.

Figures 5, 8, l5, and 16 are sectionalviews on corresponding lines of Figure 2.

Figures 6 and 7 are sectional views on the corresponding lines of Figure 3.

Figures 9 and 10 are sectional views on the corresponding lines of Figure 4.

Figure 11 is a side view of the front end of the vehicle but with the fender removed and showing the manner of mounting the parts on the vehicle frame.

Figures 12, 13, 14, 17 and 18 are sections on the corresponding lines of Figure 11.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 2 indicates a vehicle as a Whole. The vehicle has the top 4, the V-shaped windshield 6, the front dor 8, front door window Iii, cowl l2, radiator l3, running board I4, and front wheels l6 suitably mounted on a chassis or frame l8 (Figure 11). These parts are conventional, and per se form no part of the invention. 7

The hood 20 of the vehicle extends forwardly 'of the cowl l2 and has the door 22 which is hinged at its rear end and adapted to open from the front end. Each side of the vehicle has a front fender 24 and between-the two fenders thereis-positioned the perforate grille 26 which allows the entrance of air to the usual radiator. A dummy or ornamental grille 28 is positioned at each side of the vehicle, and the ornamental grille 28 and the perforate grille 26 are connected by a curved 5 panel 3i].

Referring to Figures 2-10 inclusive, each fender 24 comprises the main fender part 32, the filler piece 34 and the tip piece 33. The main part 32 extends from the forwardmost part of the vehicle rearwardly to substantially the front edge of the front door 8 as is best shown in Figure 1. This part 32 has the integral wing 38 which forms a stationary part of the hood side. A curved part 40 conforms to the'shape of the wheel [6 and allows the Wheel to be turned. The fender has an inturned flange 4| at the curve 40. To the rear of the curved part 40 the fender turns inwardly as indicated at 42 and the lower edge 44 of part 42 is rigidly secured to the running-board 14. The front end of the main part 32 has formed therein the half round housing46 which is pressed from the metal of part 32' when it is formed in the press. This lamp housing half 46 projects upwardly from the fender part and extends from the tip of the fender rearwardly for a distance sufficiently to house the lamp and to cause the end of the housing gradually to fade into the fender,

The filler piece 34 has a part 48 which forms a part of the hood side. A half lamp housing 50 is formed inthe filler piece 34. This half lamp housing 50 is complemental to the half lamp housing 46 in themain fender part 42., When the parts are in position, the two half housings 46 and 5D mate and together form a lamp housing 52 for the headlamp of the vehicle. The dividing line between the filler piece 34 and the main fender part 32 is shown at 54 and this dividing. line is welded as is best shown in Figure 6. After the weld has been completed the joint formed at the line 54 is smoothed down so that in the final appearance the weld lineis not distinguishable.

At the top of the lamp housing 52, parts and 4B overlap as is shown at 56 and these overlapping parts are secured together by the spot welds 58, Fig. 7. The overlapping of the parts at 56 forms a place for the positioning of a suitable ornament. v

At the front lower part ofthe housing 50 parts 32 and 34 are united as is best shownin Figure 8. The adjacent edges overlap and are spot welded as indicated at 60.

The tip piece 36 is formed separately and in the final assembly isa continuation of the front end -5 of the main fender part 32. The front face of the tip piece 36 is rounded in front as indicated at 62 and the side edge at the wheel housing is formed on a curve as indicated at 64. This curve 64 is a continuation of the curve 40 and conforms generally to the curvature of the tire on wheel I6. curved edge 64 of the tip piece 36 is return bent as indicated at '66 to give it strength and where the curve 64 merges into the curve 40 the edge is flattened as indicated at 68. The meeting line 10 between parts 32 and 36 is formed by the inturned flanges 12 on the main fender part 32, and the flange 14 on the tip piece 36. These two parts are then united at the flanges by means of spot welds 16,

As is best shown in Figure 4, there is a slight projection 18 at the front of the main fender part 32 and this projection extends slightly beyond the tip piece 36. The purpose of this is ornamental.

Figure shows the manner in which the ornamental or dummy grille 28 is secured to the fender part 36 and to the main grille 26. The fender tip 36 has the inturned flange 80 which mates with a flange 82 on the edge of the ornamental grille 28. A strip of anti-squeak material 84 is positioned between the two flanges and U-shaped nuts 86 are slipped over the flange 82 and the openings in the nuts conform to the openings 88 in the flange 82. A strengthening strip 90 is positioned over the flange 80 and a bolt 92, provided with a washer 94, passes through openings in the reinforcing strip 90, the flange 80, the anti-squeak material 84, the flange of the nut 86, and the opening 88 in the flange 82, and is screw threaded into the threaded part 96 of the nut 86. This structure will rigidly hold the fender part 24 and the dummy grille 28 together. The grille 26 is provided with an edge flange 98 and nuts 86 are slipped over this flange and bolts 94 are then passed through the .flanges 82 on the dummy grille, through an opening in the plate I00, through the opening in the flange 98, and screw threaded into the threaded part 96 of the nut 86. This structure will securely hold the dummy grille and the grille together.

Figures 11-18 inclusive show the manner of mounting the front end construction on the chassis I 8.

The chassis has a cross member I02 which extends from one side bar to the other and the cross member is generally U-shaped in cross section. The cross member has mounted at the middle point thereof a U-shaped brace or harness I04. This harness I04 is mounted at the mid part of its bottom in the manner shown and described in the patent to Waterbury 2,004,258. The upright arms of the U extend substantially to the line at I06 where the hood door 22 joins the side 38 of the hood. Two plates I08, one on each side of the vehicle, are secured at their forward edges by means of the fastening elements H0 to the upright member of the U-frame I04, and at the rear end these plates are made to overlap and are secured to the cowl as indicated at H2. The upper edges of the plate I08 are outwardly flanged as indicated at H4 in Figure 13, and the upper edge of the hood side part 38 is likewise inwardly flanged as indicated at H6. Nuts H8 are slipped over the flange H4, and bolts I20 passing through suitable openings in flanges H4, H6 are screw threaded into the nuts H8 and hold the flanges H4 and H6 rigidly to- As is best shown in Figures 9 and 10, the

I26, and a bolt I32 passes through parts H6, I28,

I24, and I26 and is screw threaded into the nut and rigidly holds the parts together.

At the rear lower part of the plates I08 a second smaller plate I34 is positioned to flll in the corner caused by the downwardly bent part of the frame I8. This plate I34 is secured at its upper edge to the plate I08 and at its lower edge is provided with flanges I36 which are secured to the frame.

Figure 14 shows the manner in which the fender is secured to the running board and automobile bOdy at its rear end. A part of the body is, indicated at I38 while the rear part of the fender is indicated at 32. The numeral I40 indicates a reinforcement to strengthen the parts. The running board I4 has a piece of rubber I42 positioned between the running board and the end of the fender 32 to form a seal to prevent the entrance of water and also to form a more rigid securing means for the end of the fender. This securing bracket I44 has one end I46 secured by means of the bolt I48 to the automobile body I38 and its other end I58 secured by means of the bolt and nut I52 to the bottom part of the fender 32 and to the running board I4.

As is seen in Figure 14, the bottom part of the fender 32 has the inturned reinforcing flange I54.

Figure 15 shows the connection between the grille 26 and the filler piece 34; The filler piece has the inturned flange I56 at its bottom side while the grille has a flange I58 at its upper edge. The two flanges overlap and are secured together by means of the bolt and nut I60.

Figure 16 shows the connection between the filler piece 34 and the decorative or dummy grille 28. The dummy grille has the flange IE2 at its upper edge and over the flange there is passed the U-shaped nut I64. Anti-squeak material I68 is placed between flanges I62 and I56 and a bolt I10 is threaded into the nut I64 and holds the parts together.

Referring to Figure 17, there is shown the connection between the chassis and the bottom part of the fender and running board. The running board has the downturned flange I12 which is secured to the lower edge of the fender part 32 by means of the bolt and nut I14. The inturned flange I84 of the fender has the outer end of a securing strip I16 secured thereto by means of the bolt and nut I18while the inner end of the strip I16 is secured by means of the bolt I80 to the frame I8.

In Figure 18 the manner of securing the fender to the cowl is shown. The fender part 32 has the inturned flange I82 (see Figures 2 and 18) and a reinforcing member I 84 thereover. The cowl is indicated at I2 and inside the cowl a reinforcing plate or strip I86 is applied. Suitable anti-squeak material I88 is used between the flange I82 and the cowl I2. These parts are secured together by means of bolt I90 which passes through suitable mating openings and is screw threaded into a nut I92 retained by the end of the reinforcement I64.

A flange I93 (Figure 2) at the rearmost part of the fender is used to secure the fender to the body.

At the front part of the vehicle there are positioned the two air directing plates I60. One plate is at each side of the vehicle. The manner in which the plates are secured at their front edges is shown in Figure 5. Their rear edges I94 terminate substantially where they meet the front rear edges of the plates I08, and these plates extend from the frame l8 upward to the underside of the filler piece 34 and the upper edge of the plate is shaped to correspond to the shape of the underside of the filler piece. The function of these plates is to direct the air which passes through the grille 26 into the usual radiator core. At their rear edges I94 the plates I00 are secured to the upright arm of the U-shaped brace I04.

I claim:

1. In a hood and front end construction for a motor vehicle, two fenders, one fender at each side of the vehicle, each fender including a plurality of pieces rigidly secured together, said pieces comprising a main piece extending from the tip of the fender to substantially the edge of the front door of the vehicle, a tip part extending from the front end of the main part downwardly in front of the front wheel, and a filler part extending from the hood side outwardly and terminating in a lamp housing section, said main fender part having a lamp housing section complementary to the lamp section in the filler part, said two sections forming a lamp housing.

2. In a hood and front end construction for a motor vehicle, two fenders, one fender at each side of the vehicle, each fender including a plurality of pieces rigidly secured together, said pieces comprising a main piece extending from the tip of the fender to substantially the edge of the front door of the vehicle, a tip part extending from the front end of the main part downwardly in front of the front wheel, and a filler part extending from the hood side outwardly and terminating in a lamp housing section, said lamp section extending above and out of the plane of the fender, said main fender part having a lamp housing section extending out of the plant of the fender and complementary to the lamp section in the filler part, said two sections forming a lamp housing.

3. In a hood and front end construction for a motor vehicle, two fenders, one fender at each side of the vehicle, each fender including a plurality of pieces rigidly secured together, said pieces comprising a main piece extending from the tip of the fender to substantially the edge of the front door of the vehicle, a tip part extending from the front end of the main part downwardly in front of the front wheel, a filler part extending from the hood side outwardly and terminating in a lamp housing section, said main fender part having a lamp housing section complementary to the lamp section in the filler part, said two sections forming a lamp housing, and means interconnecting the fenders comprising a grille, two dummy grilles, and a connector panel below the grille.

4. In a hood and front end construction for a motor vehicle, two fenders, one fender at each side of the vehicle, each fender extending over a front wheel, said fenders forming the side of the hood, a connection between the fenders comprising two dummy grilles secured to the fenders, an air passage grille interconnecting the dummy grilles, and a bottom panel piece extending across the front of the vehicle and secured to the dummy grilles and the air grille.

5. In a hood and front end construction for a motor vehicle, two fenders, one fender at each side of the vehicle, each fender comprising a main part extending over the front wheel and rearwardly to substantially the front door and forming the hood side and having an arched cut-out to enable the turning of the front Wheel, a front tip part extending from the main part downwardly in front of the front wheel and joined to the main part in a plane substantially tangent with the top of the arched cut-out, and a filler piece extending from the main part to the hood side at the forwardmost part of the main part.

6. In a hood and front end construction for a motor vehicle, two fenders, one fender at each side of the vehicle, each fender comprising a main part extending over the front wheel and rearwardly to substantially the front door and forming the hood side and having an arched cut-out to enable the turning of the front wheel, a front tip part extending from the main part downwardly in front of the front wheel and joined to the main part in a plane substantially tangent with the top of the arched cut-out, and a filler piece extending from the main part to the hood side at the forwardmost part of the main part, said main part and said filler part each having a half section of a lamp housing formed therein, said sections being complemental to form the lamp housing.

7. In a hood and front end construction for a motor vehicle, two fenders, one fender on each side of the vehicle, each fender including three parts, comprising a main fender part extending from the extreme front end of the vehicle to substantially the edge of the front door and forming a stationary part of the hood side and having a curved cut-out part conforming to the curvature of the rear of the front wheels, said main part having a half headlamp ho'using formed therein, a filler piece having formed therein a half headlamp housing mating with the half housing of the main part and forming therewith a headlamp housing, said 'fiiler piece extending from the main part at the extreme front end thereof to the hood side and having a part forming a portion of the hood side, and a tip piece secured to the front end of the main part and forming a continuation thereof, said tip piece extending downwardly in front of the front wheel, and a dummy grille member secured to the main part, the filler piece, and the tip part and forming a continuation of the main part and the tip piece.

8. In a hood and front end construction for a motor vehicle, two fenders, one fender on each side of the vehicle, each fender including three parts, comprising a main fender part extending from the extreme front end of the vehicle to substantially the edge of the front door and forming a stationary part of the hood side and having a curved cut-out part conforming to the curvature of the rear of the front wheels, said main part having a half headlamp housing formed therein, a filler piece having formed therein a half headlamp housing mating with the half housing of the main part and forming therewith a headlamp housing, said filler piece extending from the main part at the extreme front end thereof to the hood side and having a part forming a portion of the hood side, a tip piece secured to the front end of the main part and forming a continuation thereof, said tip piece extending and secured to the dummy grilles and filler pieces, downwardly in front of the front wheel, a dummy and a panel extending between the dummy grilles grille member secured to the main part, the filler and secured to the dummy grilles and the main piece, and the tip part and forming a continuagrille.

5 tion of the main part and the tip piece, an air EDMUND E. ANDERSON.

grille extending across the front of the vehicle 

